Maple Leafs Goalie Anthony Stolarz Frustrated With Referees in Loss to Rangers
Anthony Stolarz was not a fan of how NHL officials handled an issue involving an equipment malfunction during the Maple Leafs' loss to the New York Rangers on Saturday.
The scenario unfolded towards the end of the second period as the goaltender lost a skate blade, leaving him with very limited mobility and no way to push from right to left, leaving Stolarz susceptible to a potential groin injury and/or a goal against.
Typically, when a player loses a skate blade, the play goes on while they make their way to the bench for a substitution and a blade replacement. Goalies do not have the same luxury of being able to change.
Stolarz, who has been one of the early MVPs for the Leafs, was displeased with the fact that officials refused to blow the play dead with the puck at the other end of the ice, with no real imminent scoring threat in sight. He revealed as much following last night's loss.
Eventually, the Rangers did make their way into the Leafs' zone in an attempt to set up a scoring opportunity, but to no avail. The Leafs played well enough defensively in that situation to prevent Stolarz from facing any shots before the period expired.
Stolarz's concerns over player safety and potentially suffering a groin injury on the play really highlight the need for further conversations about how plays like that are handled. Obviously, with no imminent scoring theeat, the play should be blown dead. It makes no sense to have play continue under those circumstances with a goalie virtually unable to play his position, and with no ability to make it to the bench for a substitution, it can leave a netminder and their team kind of stranded.
Imagine, if you will, the same scenario occurring in overtime of Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, with two teams playing hard up and down the ice and that exact same situation develops, but the attacking team scores on a shot that should have been a routine save. People would be losing their minds. It would be a brutal look for the league. Amateur hour.
Although we haven't seen a lot of discussion around scenarios like this one at the annual GM meetings, I'd be surprised if it didn't come up before long. It just seems like common sense to me. If a goalie's mask flies off, play is blown dead to prevent injury, but if they lose a skate blade, and are at risk of blowing out their groin, play resumes? Make it make sense.
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20 OCTOBRE | 1379 ANSWERS Maple Leafs Goalie Anthony Stolarz Frustrated With Referees in Loss to Rangers Should the play be blown dead if a goalie loses a skate blade without an imminent scoring chance for the attacking team? | ||
